Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Common charger for all mobile phones on the way in Europe

europarl.europa.eu

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

21–30 of 65 posts

Re: Common charger for all mobile phones on the way in Europe

#21

Post by yaakov34 »

coob wrote: post #15

Ugh no thanks. Lightning is orders of magnitude superior to other current solutions (except cost). If it came to the point where this was actually enforced, I bet Apple would just pay the fines it receives and just continues to use Lightning.

The upcoming USB standard connector is apparently going to adapt and extend most of the nice features of Lightning. There is a nice article on appleinsider about it [1].

I'll bet that the new EU standard adapts that, rather than enshrining some current solution. In fact, the sort-of-non-mandatory previous EU standard (which was micro-USB) was allowed to expire, since they were working on the next one.

As for whether this is possible - yes, it's certainly possible to require compliance with a certain standard as part of product certification for marketing in the EU. To what extent they want to make it mandatory (extra fees, or outright requirement if you want to market in the EU) - we'll see.

[1] http://appleinsider.com/articles/13/12/04/next-gen-usb-conne...

Re: Common charger for all mobile phones on the way in Europe

#22

Post by danbmil99 »

The question to ask is this: if this law were already in place, would Apple (or any manufacturer) ever innovate something like Lightning or the magnetic mac chargers, given that they then also have to support the common standard, putting them at a significant cost disadvantage?

This kind of regulation, while arguably well-meaning, always seems to end up distorting market forces and discouraging innovation.

Re: Common charger for all mobile phones on the way in Europe

#23

Post by sjtgraham »

msvan wrote: post #16

I don't understand this. Are they going to force Apple to use the same charger as everyone else? Is that even possible? The article is unclear.

The USB type C connector is currently under development (slim form factor and reversible), Apple should just make the effort to ensure it's compatible with the Lightning connector, e.g. license the design. Problem solved.

Re: Common charger for all mobile phones on the way in Europe

#24

Post by danbmil99 »

thirdsight wrote: post #18
coob wrote: post #15

Ugh no thanks. Lightning is orders of magnitude superior to other current solutions (except cost). If it came to the point where this was actually enforced, I bet Apple would just pay the fines it receives and just continues to use Lightning.

Just like AirPrint (IPP), AirPlay (DLNA), AirDrop (Bluetooth/OBEX), Facetime etc... Basically as usual, it's Apple and everyone else . I'll stick with my USB charger thanks as it is 100% ubiquitous as I will my Internet Printing Protocol, DLNA (which doesn't even require an Apple box to talk to my TV!) and bluetooth that works properly across all devices I've encountered. Edit to add: I have 3 Lightning iPads in my h…

So stick with whatever you want, but what gives you the right to demand that by law, Apple must support your preferred charger configuration? If you don't like what Apple has to offer, vote with your wallet and choose a different vendor.

Re: Common charger for all mobile phones on the way in Europe

#25

Post by sigzero »

salient wrote: post #12
mcintyre1994 wrote: post #5

It's not exactly clear but I assume this means they'll have to provide some sort of converter to Micro USB or whatever? It's a great idea to have a common connector, but Apple aren't going to use the same as everyone else and everyone else seems to be compatible now anyway. It looks like the end result might just be iOS stuff costs a bit more and governments get some more tax money from a ridiculously marked up conve…

I think that already existed for years, and Apple is pretty much the only one in Europe who offers an adapter for their charger, while everyone else uses micro-USB. So I may be wrong, but I think this is about actually forcing Apple to provide micro-USB directly.

Apple is not going to do that.

Re: Common charger for all mobile phones on the way in Europe

#27

Post by fleitz »

SwellJoe wrote: post #20
coob wrote: post #15

Ugh no thanks. Lightning is orders of magnitude superior to other current solutions (except cost). If it came to the point where this was actually enforced, I bet Apple would just pay the fines it receives and just continues to use Lightning.

USB 3.0 is not an order of magnitude inferior to Lightning. As I understand it, the primary reason Lightning was chosen over micro USB was simply that the iPad needs more power than micro USB is specified to provide. That kind of thing can be resolved in the two years we have before this has to go into effect. I'm always on the side of standard connections. Which is one of several reasons I never choose Apple product…

I'm usually for standards however in the case of apple, it's basically it's own standard and in the case of MagSafe far superior.

Re: Common charger for all mobile phones on the way in Europe

#29

Post by coob »

thirdsight wrote: post #18
coob wrote: post #15

Ugh no thanks. Lightning is orders of magnitude superior to other current solutions (except cost). If it came to the point where this was actually enforced, I bet Apple would just pay the fines it receives and just continues to use Lightning.

Just like AirPrint (IPP), AirPlay (DLNA), AirDrop (Bluetooth/OBEX), Facetime etc... Basically as usual, it's Apple and everyone else . I'll stick with my USB charger thanks as it is 100% ubiquitous as I will my Internet Printing Protocol, DLNA (which doesn't even require an Apple box to talk to my TV!) and bluetooth that works properly across all devices I've encountered. Edit to add: I have 3 Lightning iPads in my h…

Are you talking about first party connectors? We have projects in rural primary schools in Malawi and are yet to have single cable failure with our dozens of lightning iPads there.

Re: Common charger for all mobile phones on the way in Europe

#30

Post by thirdsight »

danbmil99 wrote: post #24
thirdsight wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just like AirPrint (IPP), AirPlay (DLNA), AirDrop (Bluetooth/OBEX), Facetime etc... Basically as usual, it's Apple and everyone else . I'll stick with my USB charger thanks as it is 100% ubiquitous as I will my Internet Printing Protocol, DLNA (which doesn't even require an Apple box to talk to my TV!) and bluetooth that works properly across all devices I've encountered. Edit to add: I have 3 Lightning iPads in my h…

So stick with whatever you want, but what gives you the right to demand that by law, Apple must support your preferred charger configuration? If you don't like what Apple has to offer, vote with your wallet and choose a different vendor.

I did. Which is why I have a Nokia Lumia 820 (which charges via USB or wireless charger).

It's not about preferred configuration. It's about not producing tonnes of electronic waste by having to require an unreasonable magnitude of charger and device configurations.

Post reply on HN